Be Safe On Your Motorcycle: TfL Launches New Campaign

Photo by Dave Pearce in the Londonist Flickr pool
Transport for London (TfL) has launched a Motorcycle Safety Action Plan to reduce the numbers of bikers killed and injured on the capital's roads.

The plan (PDF), urges motorcyclists to ride safely using video clips like this one to demonstrate how dangerous it can be to ride too fast for the conditions. TfL's director of strategy and planning for surface transport, Ben Plowden, said:

“Motorcyclists and scooter riders are among the most vulnerable road users and with the recent spike in fatalities it is important that action to reduce the number of casualties continues. It is vital for all road users to pay attention to their speed and surroundings and to be aware of other road users.”

With 27 fatalities in 2014 and nine so far this year, TfL is also trying to get drivers of other vehicles to use better observation — a common cause of collisions is when drivers turn across the path of a motorcyclist at a junction.

If you want to hone your riding skills, the Met's Motorcycle Safety Team runs BikeSafe-London and ScooterSafe-London assessment days to train and educate riders to be better road users.

Part of the Motorcycle Safety Action Plan campaign also focuses on appropriate protective clothing, with a competition for people to design their own PPE. Entries can be submitted here from 16 March. Find out more about road safety on TfL's website.